CIA Moves to Protect Analyst Involved in bin Laden Raid

(FOX News) – The CIA has moved to protect an analyst who played a central role in the covert operation to kill al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, a US official confirmed Tuesday.

Recent intelligence indicated that the terrorist network is working out of Pakistan to identify the US agents who helped plan the deadly raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan May 2, the official said.

The CIA’s move to put the agent “under cover,” was earlier reported by The Washington Post.

The Post described the move as “highly unusual” for the CIA, which declined to comment on the identity of the agent and requested that the newspaper not print his name.

“We know from very recent intelligence that al-Qaida is interested in finding US counter terrorism officials tied to the CIA’s aggressive counter terrorism operations,” an official told The Post.

The analyst was pictured on the edge of a famous Situation Room photo released by the White House after the raid. He was a so-called “overt” officer, and not considered deeply undercover.

But now, he is being given undisclosed protection to ensure he does not become an al-Qaida target.

A US Navy SEAL team under cover of darkness killed bin Laden in a covert operation May 2.